ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½

CS students and student organizations were recognized with a total of six awards at the 2025 Student Leadership Awards Ceremony.

The ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ Student Leadership Awards are designed to celebrate and recognize the countless hours and contributions that student leaders make to the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ campus, the El ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ community, and beyond. These awards are the highest form of recognition given to outstanding individual student leaders, student organizations, and fraternity and sorority chapters at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½. This year, there were a total of 100 applications from various student organizations across campus.

The CS students/organizations recognized were as follows:

Individual Leadership Awards (Two awards are given per category)

• Luxe Award (2) - Recognizes graduate and doctoral students who have demonstrated excellence in academic achievement as well as campus and community engagement and have made a contribution to the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ community through their leadership.

          Student recognized: Natalia Mesta and Bianca Alvarez

• Striking Gold Award (2)- Recognizes first-year and second-year students who have begun making noteworthy contributions to the University and/or community

          Students recognized: Vianey Martinez and Ridley Dean

Student Organization Awards (One award per category)

• Program of the Year - The Coding Interview Club with the organization of the ICPC (International Collegiate Programming Contest) program.

The Coding Interview Club (CIC) at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ has significantly advanced student opportunities in competitive programming by launching the university’s first participation in the prestigious International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). Led entirely by undergraduate officers, CIC has created a rigorous and ongoing training program with weekly sessions, mock competitions, and post-event analysis, culminating in the successful debut of three ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ teams at the ICPC South Central USA Regional Competition in Fall 2024. This initiative has redefined what’s possible for ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½ computer science students by offering hands-on experience in algorithmic problem-solving and high-pressure teamwork—skills not typically covered in the classroom. It has boosted student engagement, built a collaborative community, and enhanced career readiness, with many participants securing opportunities at top companies like NASA, Microsoft, and Google. The program’s measurable outcomes and structured improvement cycle have strengthened CIC’s visibility, leadership capacity, and long-term impact, positioning it as a cornerstone for technical excellence and innovation within the university.

 

• Organization of the Year- Girls Who Code